I'm a huge proponent of training hard on a DAILY basis. I believe this is the best way to train - or to pursue any interest, for that matter - success in any endavor comes through putting in the hard work and hard yards; and training is no exception to that rule.

But, there are times when you do need a break - and it is important you interpret your body's signals correctly on this one.

A couple of years ago, I used to do a daily routine consisting of pushups, pull-ups and squats - high numbers of each, and I followed this routine daily. This was preceded by some stretching, and was followed by stair runs (another butt kicking exercise) AFTER the workout. After this, I'd go to work. I'd come back home around 6, and I'd do another round of exercise then. Maybe some pushups, lunges - whatever it was, I'd make sure I'd do it without fail, and do it on an almost daily basis (the evening workouts - the morning workouts were daily ones without fail). 

This routine worked well for me for a while, but after a while, I noticed I wasn't quite progressing the way I wanted to on all my exercises. My numbers were staying stagnant, or in some cases, even going DOWN - which was a mystery, since I did these exercises on a daily basis. I mean, how can I NOT get that last pushup in despite doing them in high reps daily? How can I NOT be progressing on my planches, despite working on them religiously? 

And on top of that, I used to feel tired and worn out most of the time, and most of all, I wasn't FEELING like I was on the top of the world after finishing a workout. And THAT is when I decided something was wrong, and I decided to make a change.

I reviewed my exercise routine, which was fine in itself. My diet wasn't ideal - but I was making gains despite that, so I figured I'd start to clean my diet up as well (as a result of which the Simple and Effective Diet was born a few years later). But, that didn't bring about the changes I wanted either.

And one day, I got a bit sick of thinking about it - and simply did nothing for the day. That's right - nothing, except a mild walk outdoors, I did NOTHING by the way of hard exercise. Actually thought about changing my routine up big time at that point, maybe even incorporating weights (something I don't prefer). When your NOT getting results, you start to get frustrated and look for other options, and that is what happened to me as well.

So, took that day off, and came back again to my regular workout the next day. And guess what? I woke up feeling far better and stronger the next morning - despite not having exercised the day before. And I maintained ALL my numbers on my exercises, and felt much better after my workout - much better than I was feeling before I took the break.

Didn't exercise again that evening, but got back it to again the next morning - and guess what - I SURPASSED my numbers on some of the exercises - something I'd wanted to do for a long time, but never was able to.

And at that point I figured that I'd simply take a day off when I was really worn down, since it helped me. So, thats what I've been doing ever since, and making great gains. And that, my friend, is what YOU need to do as well - if you are REALLY worn out from your regular routine, then a break might be in order.

Note that taking a break from a regular, hard routine doesn't mean you sit at home and do nothing by the way of physical activity. The point is to  let you body recover, and one of the best ways to let it recover is by actually doing something - NOT something "hard", but something real light. So if your doing 150 pushups a day along with other things, and take a day off to rest - then you may not do any pushups that day, but take a long walk. Or you may do 20 pushups, some stretching, and then call it a day. I've found that your body actually recovers better when you are in "active recovery" mode as opposed to slumping on the couch in front of the TV.

I talk about more about active recovery in Fast and Furious Fitness - and I also talk more about what you can do on your active recovery days.

And last, but not least, note that it's important to know when you really need a break, and when you are just slacking off. Most people actually need to be working out MORE instead of less; and most people would do great on a daily schedule of exercises (alternate between hard days and light days). Of course, this may vary from individual to individual, but by and large, I have found that most folks these days need to be doing more - not less.

But, if you find you really need a break - then go for it - and watch yourself come back stronger the next day!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: I've been receiving some great user feedback as of late - so if you wish to send some feedback my way, feel free to do so! Remember that anything you send to me remains confidential - I may share your feedback in my daily emails, but only if YOU want me to do so!

PS#2: If you don't have a copy of Fast and Furious Fitness as yet, it's high time you got yourself a copy HERE.

PS#3: I mentioned the Simple and Effective Diet in the email above - go HERE to get a copy.

It was one of THOSE mornings. Didn't have a particularly restful night (though I was exhausted) - and woke up feeling "el groucho", or just plain grouchy in plain English. And it had nothing to do with my daily routine, or exercise program - just good old life making it's presence felt. Ho hum. 

You all know the type of feeling I'm referring to - feeling depressed and down, not being able to progress despite trying out heart out, job woes, and so forth. The list goes on and on, and yet, there is not much we can do to change these things. I mean that's life - it'll happen every so often.

But, there ARE some things you can do to feel better - and throw life's curveballs right back at it. Exercise is one very potent weapon you can use - especially the routines I teach in Fast and Furious Fitness, but there's more to it than  just hard, balls-to-the-wall kind of exercise.

Anyway, back to what I was telling you - so today was supposed to be my rest day from exercise. Yet, I knew there was no way I could get through the day feeling the way I was, so I figured I'd get my workout in anyway. There's different type of workouts you can do so you don't end up doing a real tough one right after you've done one the previous day - see Fast and Furious Fitness for more on that. 

The problem was though, I just wasn't feeling UP to exercising this morning. And it had nothing to do with my sore muscles, or the fact it was a rest day - my brain was just in the "down in the dumps" mood, and nothing was going to change it.

But I've always emphasized that your brain does what YOU tell it to do, not the other way around. And what I did this morning was I simply sat down for a while in a darkened room, turned off the phone (YES, this can be done for a short while!) and simply visualized for ten minutes. I thought about what sort of life I wanted to have, about what sort of life I have NOW - and what I can be thankful for - and all the good that is GOING TO HAPPEN in my life in the near future. And after 10 minutes, I felt much better.

Headed straight out to workout after that - and the rest is history (1000 more jumps consigned to the "history" bin amongst other things). And I'm ready to tackle the rest of my day now.

Now, I realize that what I just said may sound like words straight out of a monk or yogi's mouth - but I'm not asking you to meditate on one leg in the Himalayas for years. But, listen to me now and believe me later - this is a powerful, powerful technique indeed - that when practiced correctly can literally DRAW good into your life. And I'm sharing today's experience with you to show that YES, this technique DOES work.

I cover many more such powerful thought processes (and how to harness them) in Fast and Furious Fitness - these techniques will not only help propel you to greater levels of fitness - and stay there - but they can also impact all aspects of your life positively - provided you LET them do so.

Anyway, I'm buzzing on all cylinders now. Time to get down to business for the day!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: Remember - it all starts with THINKING positively. You first FEEL good - then you automatically DO good - and then you WILL FEEL BETTER - and your life WILL change for the better!

Back when I first started to train seriously and regularly, my workout would be on the top of the daily "to-do" list after work.  I'd come home, grab some green tea (or drink some water) and then get down to my workout. After that, I'd get some chores done, grab dinner, and go to bed. And that was my routine for a long time - and it worked pretty well for me.

Over the last year or so though, I've started to do things a bit differently. I've started to work out in the mornings - before I start my day. And the results have been as good, if not better - if anything, I feel that extra burst of energy which makes it easier to get through the rest of my day. Pretty much the same as when I trained at night after work; I'd feel mentally drained after work, but I used to feel refreshed after my exercises (though I was physically tired).

Both routines worked well for me - the main thing was I stuck to my routine, and thus I got benefits from it. And you'll feel mentally refreshed whether you workout in the morning or evening; that much is a given.

Mornings work best for me now as I'm not working traditional "9-5" shifts any more. That wasn't the case a year or so ago, so exercising after work was what worked back then.

And so, what is the best time of the day for YOU to work out? Many people have asked me this question, and my answer is almost always the same i.e. "when it works out best for YOU". If I had to make a choice personally, I'd say it's best to work out in the morning - BEFORE you start your day. You get a boost of energy which jump starts your day, you think better and you FEEL better throughout the entire day which is reason enough for me to work out in the mornings. That routine has worked well for me, and has benefited me a lot.

But, not everyone can do this - you may not have the time to workout in the mornings, especially if your day starts real early, or if your a "late starter" in terms of the engine revving up a bit later on in the day. In that case, there's nothing at all wrong with workout in the evening after work - or even at night after dinner, if that is when you can make time. The main thing is to ensure that you MAKE time for your workout - no matter how you busy you are - and the rest will start to fall into place automatically.

And making time isn't as hard as it sounds. You can get a great workout done in 15 minutes - 30 minutes MAX - and I show you the exact exercises to do in Fast and Furious Fitness. The main thing is to MAKE time - instead of excuses, and you'll be on the right track. 

On one last note, though I work out in the mornings normally, I'll do a "double" some days by working out in the evening as well. Usually around 6PM or so, though it isn't a tough workout - I'll either work on some hard exercises that I've been trying to get better at, or I'll do some general stuff and call it a night. I'm not saying you have to do this - but just pointing out what works for ME.

Figure out a routine that works for YOU, and stick to it - and then shoot me an email - I look forward to hearing about your success!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: Make NO excuses when it comes to your health and fitness. Take ACTION that will propel you on the right track as far as lifelong health and fitness is concerned - the first one being to click on over HERE to grab your copy of Fast and Furious Fitness. Again, Father Time waits for nobody, so the sooner you get started the better. Grab your copy TODAY.

The economy is a talking point with just about everyone these days. Chances are excellent that you've experienced the "economy blues" at some point yourself - and chances are excellent that a lot of you know someone whose going through a tough time themselves. Job losses, sky high inflation - all these are contributing to more and more depression amongst people, and not without entirely good reason. And I should know - I've felt the same way many a times before.

And yet, the cold, hard fact is that there is very little to be accomplished by feeling down, getting depressed, complaining and the like. So why not focus on something that YOU can do for yourself - something that makes YOU feel BETTER. And that something is moving your body - exercise, any form of exercise. And it doesn't have to be the exercises I mention in Fast and Furious Fitness (although those will get you feeling better in a jiffy) - it can be swimming, sports, lifting weights, heck, just about anything that gets you MOVING. Move - or start to move, if you haven't done so in years - and I guarantee you that you'll feel better post doing so. 

And that feeling is what leads to overall IMPROVEMENT. When you feel better about yourself, your depression lifts, and you shake off the blues. Your health improves, and you have more energy to do POSITIVE things - think POSITIVE - and act accordingly. Other hand, when you are constantly down in the dumps, it becomes that much harder to do anything good - or right - for yourself, and you keep going downhill. Not good.

Jumping rope is a fantastic way to shake off the economy blues, or just about any blues. Get through a good rope jumping workout - and I assure you that you'll be buzzing and wanting to do MORE. And whats more, rope workouts are one of the quickest and most effective workouts there. They say 10 minutes of rope jumping equates to 30 minutes of running - and with good reason - and this is WITHOUT the pounding that running puts your body through.

Don't believe me? Well, pick up a copy of Fast and Furious Fitness, and go through some of the routines I've mentioned which involve jumping rope - and watch your mood lift, and your overall health levels rise dramatically. And if jumping rope is not "your thing", well, no worries there either - the book contains enough exercises, and something for everyone.

In a nutshell then - get moving - feel better - and then DO things that change your life for the better as opposed to staying down and doing nothing. And thats really all there is to it!

Best regards,

Rahul

I almost forgot to update you on something else. You may remember that I've been talking about diet in some of my previous emails, and how important a good diet is to your overall health, well being and overall level of fitness.

In that regard, I had made available The Simple and Effective Diet - which is a course that will put you on the right track as far as diet is concerned. And as regular readers know, the course can be purchased at the following link: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/84-the-simple-and-effective-diet.

Well, once I made this course available, I received many e-mails, most of them telling me they liked what I put out - but, why did I not devote MORE time to this topic? A lot of folks have been asking me to send out tips related to diet as well, but I wasn't sure if I should do so or not. After all, this is a website related mainly to fitness and exercise - would that not annoy some other readers?

But I thought about it and realized that those of you that urged me to make more information available on diet were RIGHT. After all, it's a heck of an important topic - perhaps even MORE so than exercise for a lot of folks - and if I have the information available, it makes sense to put it out there.

So, without further ado, go to http://www.simpleandeffectivediet.com - this website has been launched SPECIFICALLY to deal with diet and dietary issues. You'll notice that I have a newsletter facility on that site as well - I strongly urge you to sign up for that - it's FREE, and I'll provide you with a daily tip on diet, just as I do through this newsletter. And just as with these e-mails, all communication I send out will be posted on the blog as well - so don't forget to check the blog on a daily basis as well!

Go NOW - I look forward to your feedback.

Best regards,
Rahul

PS: You might want to check out the special V-Day offer - where you are being offered the chance to get this course absolutely FREE! That's right - I will send this to you at no cost - and I explain what you have to do in the offer. Check it out right now: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/blog/item/32-v-day-special-offer

PS#2: Don't forget to sign up for the Diet newsletter HERE: - http://simpleandeffectivediet.com/index.php/free-newsletter

We've all been conditioned to think that doing things the way others do or "others have done" is the best path to achieving success. So for instance, you might hear a parent telling her kids that to succeed in life they need straight A's, good grades in school, and so forth. Or you may have been told that the only viable way to support yourself is by working a 9-5 job at a "good" company. And the truth is, if you DO those things, then you increase your chances of success by a large margin - that's a fact. 

But, have you ever considered the opposite? For instance, making a sustainable living - and doing so well - WITHOUT working a traditional 9-5 shift? Sometimes, actually a LOT of times, deviating from the well trodden path brings you far greater benefits than tramping down the path where thousands of others have gone before you. You may think I'm not right in saying this - but remember that the world's greatest success stories have often come from doing things differently from what others do. Einstien was thought of poorly all through school and college; Bill Gates didn't even COMPLETE college. The list goes on and on.

And in case you are wondering what this has got to do with you, and your training, well, the same philosophy applies here as well. You can walk for hours on end and try to lose that belly that has snuck up on you, and not get the results you desire - or you could do what I ask you to, and exercise in brief, INTENSE spurts - something which most people do NOT do - and watch the results come down the pike. You can spend hours working the muscle of the chest and "isolating" them in the gym - or you could work on the toughest form of pushups, which most people don't even know of - let alone do.

I know that my results have come from taking the less traveled path. And that path is what I advocate in Fast and Furious Fitness as well. It's different - most people will NOT want to do it because it requires EFFORT - but does it work? Try out the exercises in the book, and be the judge yourself.

Anyway, I just got back from a tough workout, so it's time for me to jump in the old shower. More later!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: My Valentine's Day offer ends shortly, so if you haven't yet partaken of this offer, I urge you to do so NOW.

Love is in the air - literally. It's that time of the year again when couples look around for the perfect partner, propose to each other, or, for those of that you that are married, simple "celebrate" their love.

Personally, neither me nor my wife are too sold on the entire concept. I like the idea, but I also believe that love is not something to be "celebrated" on ONE day - you should appreciate it on a DAILY basis. But, I understand that many of you look forward to this day - and with good reason. And if you fall into that category, you are likely looking for "that special" gift for your beloved. 

Well, one of very best gifts you can give your beloved one is the gift of LIFELONG strength, health and fitness - without any fancy bells and whistles attached. And so, to celebrate this special day, I'm going to offer you a 25% discount on my best selling Fast and Furious Fitness book. That's right - 25%. All you have to do is enter in the following coupon code "78VH98A" (without the quotes) on the order page, and you'll be all set.

My wife officially thinks I'm off my rocker on this one, so this won't last forever - in fact, I plan on pulling the plug on this by the end of this week. So HURRY - drop whatever your doing, and ORDER NOW.

But wait. That's NOT all - I'm also going to offer you a FREE copy of the Simple and Effective Diet. That's right - it will be YOURS - FREE, alongwith the book. All you have to do is use the coupon code I've mentioned, order the book, and shoot me a quick e-mail with the subject line "Rahul, send me my free copy NOW" - and you will have a copy of the Simple and Effective Diet in your inbox within 48 hours at most.

This is a savings of OVER $13 - For information that you can use your ENTIRE life - and get great results from. And again, remember this wont last forever - the early bird gets the worm. And if you're smart, you know what to do.

Order now, and thank me later.

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: Don't hesitate, dilly-dally and hem and haw. Do not fall into the trap of  thinking "it's just another offer". It's not - and an offer like this is not likely to come down the pike anytime soon. Get in while the going's GOOD, and take advantage of this NOW.

From time to time I get asked about my thoughts on walking. Specifically, what I think about walking as a form of exercise, and whether or not it will help them get in shape fast. 

And, I almost always give them the same answer - which is, yes, walking's great - it will HELP you get in shape - but it isn't the end all and be all of "cardio" exercise as it's often made out to be.

What do I mean? Well, I train outdoors at a local park sometimes, usually in the mornings, and I see many folks getting in their daily walk. Regular walkers these, some of them walk for an hour on a daily basis. And this is great, but you wouldn't know that they train regularly it by looking at their physiques. The average person I see there is pot bellied, bent over and most of all, EXHAUSTED - and they look it as well. And I'm not passing judgement on any of this - but I believe that they deserve BETTER results, especially considering the dedication they have to their routine.

Now before you jump on me saying that I'm wrong, and that walking's a good form of exercise, hold on. I personally walk at least a kilometer or so daily, and have nothing at all against walking. The old timers did plenty of walking as part of their daily workouts and it's something I recommend as well - as it has a host of health benefits. And yes, if one is overweight, it will help in fat loss as well.

But, and here's the point - it will HELP in fat loss. As in, it will AID fat loss - but you still need to blast your fat cells with a different sort of workout in order to achieve optimal (and relatively quick) fat loss. And this goes for folks at all fitness levels - it doesn't matter if you are a rank beginnner, or advanced trainee. Walking's great for overall health as well, but by itself, it simply won't get the trick done - and the folks in the park stand testament to what I am saying.

Note that I am referring to walking as most people do when exercising - not "power" walking, or walking at a brisk pace up a hill as I used to do daily in China. Most folks walk at a pace that is slightly above their comfort level, and maintain that for an extended period of time, say an hour or so. And while this has plenty of health benefits, it simply won't blast the fat off your body at the rate you want.

I personally combine my walking with other exercises that get the job done in QUICK time. These are all exercises that I describe in Fast and Furious Fitness. Do them regularly, and combine them with walking - and you'll start to marvel at how fast your body rids itself of unwanted fat, and the improvement in your overall health and stamina.

All for now - back again tomorrow. Don't forget to have a great Sunday!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: For even better results, follow the type of diet I advocate in The Simple and Effective Diet. Remember that exercise is only part of the equation - diet is key as well. Get your copy NOW: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/84-the-simple-and-effective-diet

In school, I was always the type that ends up reading books with a flashlight hidden between the sheets when he's supposed to be fast asleep.In today's world, that would equate to text messaging or browsing the Internet on the phone - but you get the point. Different generations, same mindset.  .   .

And this wasn't just limited to when I was really young - hark back to my high school days, and I was jumping up from bed the minute my mother left the room - to take another gander at the new machine sitting on a desk in the corner - the almighty COMPUTER of all things. This might sound strange to you today, but it was a long time ago, and personal computers were still a new concept for folks back then - as were 24/7 broadband connections. And laptops? Those were wonder machines that only the "bosses of large companies" used - not kids like us.

Naturally, this meant I didn't get enough sleep on a regular basis, and more often than not, a tired, worn out version of myself would be seen the next morning - sometimes just a few hours away from my "actual" bedtime. And so, I heard the growing boys line more often than I wanted to at that point in my life. Which is probably the case for most "growing boys" these days as well.

Now, you're probably wondering why I'm regaling you with these anecdotes from my past - and I don't blame you - but there is a reason behind it.

"Growing boys" and you have a lot in common. For one, if your training hard on a regular basis, you fall into the "growing category" as well. You are breaking your muscles down during the workout - so that they can GROW - and get STRONGER for the next challenege - which is the next workout. And if you don't sleep enough, or don't sleep well enough (note the difference that one word makes), you won't recover as well as you would if you got 8 restful hours on a regular basis. This is because your body releases growth hormone during periods of sleep - and that is what allows you to get stronger, lose fat, etc etc. If you don't sleep enough, you don't give your body a chance to release enough growth hormones. It's that simple, and I've found this out the hard way many a times.

Second, for those of you that are overweight and want to lose weight, getting enough sleep is a must. Weight gain and obesity have been directly linked to lack of sleep, so if your desperately trying to lose those extra lbs, pay more attention to how much you are sleeping.

There are many, many other very good reasons behind getting enough Z's on a regular basis and I don't intend to cover them all here - in fact, I couldn't if I wanted to. But know that getting enough sleep is IMPORTANT - so important that I devote an entire chapter to it in Fast and Furious Fitness.

And it's not just me saying this - it is what Mother Nature demands. If you look at some of the strongest animals in the wild, you'll see that they spend most of their lives RESTING - and SLEEPING. And this helps them GET stronger, and STAY stronger. Take a lion for example - it'll laze around most of the day - but you don't want to be the prey it's tracking when it does get down to business.

Still don't believe me? Well, try working out hard on a regular basis while getting less than an optimal amount of sleep every night - and you'll see what I mean immediately.

So, make sure your getting enough sleep every night. 8 hours is a good rule of thumb for most folks, but everyone is different. If 8 hours isn't ideal for you, figure out what works for you - and keep doing it.

And thats the tip for the day - back again tomorrow!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: - Note that this advice is just as applicable to you ladies out there as well. Growing boys need their sleep, but so do you ladies!

PS#2: - The exercises and routines I mention in Fast and Furious Fitness are just as applicable to kids as they are adults - so if your looking to start your kid off on the right path, grab a copy NOW.

Getting the right results from your training program is often more of a mental "game" than anything else. Given you following the right program, doing the right exercises, and so forth - all that remains is for your brain to give you the green signal, and you'll be all set. I talk more about this in my book as well - in fact, it is so important that I actually dedicate an entire chapter to the mental aspect of things in Fast and Furious Fitness.

Yesterday, I wrote about how worrying about what others think, and "following the herd" can be a huge detriment to your success. But today,  let's talk about how YOU percieve yourself - how YOUR mind "sees" you, and what it "thinks" you can accomplish.

Your internal self image is more important than you'd think. Believe you can truly change yourself, and your life for the better, and you will naturally end up doing so. On the other hand, if, deep down inside of you, you don't think you can change, or have it in you to get the body you desire, then you will never be able to accomplish your goals in their entirety (no matter how hard you try on the "outside"). In other words, your self-image, or what YOU subconsciously think about yourself, and what you are capable of ultimately decides what kind of results you get.

I'll tell you something that might surprise you - there was once a time when I didn't believe I'd ever be able to sprint all out. I'm not a "natural" athelete, and running was never one of my favorite options. Mostly because I did it the wrong way - I'd try to do long distance running, which I hated, and which hurt me - but also because I just didn't LIKE it. Walking was fine, but running - that was always a huge no for me.

So how DID I finally start sprinting? Well, I always knew that sprinting was of great benefit. The old timers includes lots of running in their programs (boxers and other athletes do so even today), so I knew there must be something to it. And when I finally did start running, it wasn't pretty - I could barely jog at a decent pace - let alone sprint, and ended up  hurting myself so bad the first two times I could  barely walk (and thats another story for another time).

But, before I started my running program, I programmed myself to believe I could do it, though I had never done it before. I didn't wake up in the morning and ruminate on my injuries - or how I knew I could never be a good runner - or anything similar. Instead, I believed that soon enough, I would be running like the wind, no matter what. And guess what? Within a couple of weeks, I was doing my first sprint, and the rest just fell into place.

So, BELIEVE in yourself - this alone will take you a long way. If your not yet at a point where you can do 50 pushups in a row, don't just shy away from the challenge - BELIEVE that you can DO it, and then DO what is necessary to get there i.e. work up to it.

Note that this doesn't mean deluding yourself - for instance, if your not physically able to run, then it's folly to try and sprint without the correct preparations. If you are so overweight that you cannot do a single pull-up, it's best to first get your weight down, and then attempt the exercise. And so forth. Strike a balance between the two, and you'll achieve great success - both in life, and your training.

And that's that for today. More later!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: I cover this, and other topics in great detail in Fast and Furious Fitness - grab a copy NOW.